Heartbreak Vacation

Misery

Dana went head over heals for Sam. Even though Julie never said a word, Dana could feel her anger nevertheless. The day after their coffee date, Sam took Dana out to dinner and a movie, which ended with making out in front of the dorm. Sam was a good kisser. Different from John, she though but pushed the notion away as soon as it popped into her head. He had told her that he had had only one girlfriend up to now. Still, she had taught him well.

"There is this comedian at "The Wild Bunch" tomorrow", Sam whispered into her ear. "Wanna go?"

"Sure." She considered the idea for a minute, then said: "Julie will not be in tomorrow. You could sleep over."

Sam stopped kissing her neck. "Are you sure?"

"I am sure."

Just in case, Dana told Julie later that evening about her plans. The friend was shaking her head. "You are not being fair", she couldn't help but say. "At least call John and tell him that it's over! The poor guy is filing for divorce and expects to return to your arms."

"Ah, bullshit", Dana exclaimed, feeling guilty nonetheless. "He has a billion pretty, ready and willing girls to choose from. He does not need me."

Julie threw up her arms in despair. "You just don't get it", she said. "I am sorry. There is no way I will approve of your actions." And she left.

She did not return that night, which she probably spent at Dom's rooms. Dana was alone with her guilt. She tried to believe what she had said and had almost succeeded by the time she fell asleep.

******

A week later, Sam and Dana walked hand in hand from class to the dorm, when John called. She saw his caller ID but rejected his call. Sam was walking her back to the Petro Hall, the dorm. They were joking, caressing and enjoyed each others company as only people newly in love could. As they got closer, Dana all the sudden saw a guy waiting at the curb. He was leaning against a black BMW, but pushed himself off it as they came closer. Dana stopped dead the minute she realized it was John. She could not get her eyes to move away from his. Astonishment, incomprehension, hurt and pain were showing in this face and his eyes. Dana looked down at the pavement. She realized, Sam was talking to her.

"What did you say?" She turned to face him.

"Are you OK?", he repeated. Dana nodded, not daring to look up. Then she took heart. "You need to wait here for a moment. I have to speak to somebody." She let go of his hand and walked towards the black BMW. John looked crestfallen.

"I am sorry, John. I should have told you", she said when she reached his car, still not able to look at him. "I can't do this."

"Do what?" She could hear the hurt in his voice. "At least look at me, when you give me the boot."

She looked up. There were tears in his eyes. She had to look away. "I am sorry. I really am", she could hardly hear her voice herself. Then she turned and walked back to where Sam was waiting.

"Who is he?" Sam asked.

"I don't want to talk about it", was all Dana could say. She stood with her back to John until she heard the BMW drive away.

******

She never told Sam, who the guy had been and what had happened that day in front of the dorm. And Sam did not seem to want to know. Neither did she tell Julie about the incident. She knew what her friend would say and she did not want to hear it. She avoided the entire topic and the thought of John. She had exams to prepare for and no time for distractions. Still, she came aross his name or his picture once in a while in the Yellow Press. She read in some magazine, that John's divorce was successful and just as she had predicted he was seen with a different pretty face every week. His popularity grew and the pictures became more frequent. Fortunately, Sam did not recognize the actor as the guy who had been parking in front of his girlfriend's dorm.

******

For summer break Sam took Dana along to meet his parents. She was not sure if she could muster three months in the middle of nowhere which nothing but mountains, creeks, animals – well, and Sam. But his parents were loving people. They welcomed her like a long lost daughter. They liked her even more when they learned that Dana was able to ride a horse. "Is there any sport, you can not do?" Sam asked laughing.

"Lots", Dana answered in the same fashion. "Basketball, soccer, football..." Sam laughed some more and told his parents about how she could surf and swim. Dana winched as the picture of John on his surfboard came into her mind.

"Aren't you planning on visiting your own folks over the summer", Sam's dad asked.

"Michael!" exclaimed his wife. "That is not something to ask!"

"No, it's OK", Danna hurried to say. "They are on vacation – they are on a cruise for four weeks. I will go and see them the week before we have to return to college." Her parents were still working and had to plan their free time carefully. They enjoyed life now that their daughter had left the house. The trip to California had been their last family vacation.

Sam was busy every day. His father had planned to do a lot of work he could not get done when he was by himself. They were out mending fences, running errants or simply mucked out the stables. Dana did not mind. When she could, she helped, even though Carol stressed that she was the guest and did not need to help. Dana would read, work on some term papers she had to hand in after the summer. She enjoyed being in a surrounding that was not too different from her own childhood home. She started riding, after Carol incidentally said that she did not get to move the two farm horses the way they were supposed to be moved. It was lovely. Dana had forgotten how free one could feel when on a horseback.

One day, she went further than she intended because it was such a beautiful and sunny day. She had bottled water and some apples with her, but never intended to travel this far. As she was riding over a ridge, she came to a sudden stop. Below her was a film set.

"Hey!" someone shouted in an angry voice.

Dana turned to where the sound came from. A rider was approaching her in full speed. "This is closed perimeter!" he jelled. "We are trying to do work here!"

"Sorry", Dana said. She had not seen any signs and told the rider as much. Behind him appeared another cowboy. He was made up in some Indian leather gear that looked somehow familiar to Dana. "Oh no", she thought as the realization came to her. This was the filming set for Attempts to Tame the West. And sure enough, here came Garrett Fox aka Hermes Jones aka Johnathan Lewis.